Three elements of eye-catching advertising are color, light, and motion. Large stationary image graphics often use colors and lights to attract attention. For example, billboards can have images with vibrant colors and be front-lit at night to maintain the same image during nighttime. Other large signs add the third element of motion such as by using neon tubes to change the image of one message to another message, e.g., a flashing "NO" in front of "Vacancy" outside a motel when the motel rooms are fully occupied. In both instances, lighting from in front of the sign determines its appearance to the viewer.
The Commercial Graphics Division of Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company (3M) publishes recommendations for use by the signage industry when producing back-lit signs, such as signs that identify a building both during the day without lighting and at night with lighting from behind the sign. The publication, "Tips for Translucents" recommend use of 3M.TM. Panaflex.TM. branded and 3M.TM. Scotchcal.TM. branded films permit construction of complex, color images for daytime and nighttime viewing. One tip published by 3M is called "Color by Day, White by Night" wherein the daytime image is formed with a series of striped elements of colors and translucents which images "disappears" when backlit because the luminence of the backit source passing through the translucent portions of the elements dominates the unlit color portions of the elements. Color, light, and motion are achieved in a backlit sign, but while the motion is obtained by the disappearance of the image when backlit at nighttime, that image is not replaced by another image.